Approaching KC
by rookanga
Summary: When Clare is angry at KC, she goes to confront him. KC speaks his mind to her. What ensues is a reuniting of old friends. Rated T just in case.
1. Chapter 1

Clare slammed her locker shut with a huff. She saw KC messing around with Dave nearby. He looked slightly unenthusiastic. Clare stomped over to him.

"KC!" she demanded. KC turned around. Dave stopped and turned too.

"Nah, man, go on," said KC.

"'Kay. See you later," said Dave, patting KC once on the shoulder.

"So. What's up?" asked KC.

"What's up? What's up?" Clare said loudly, not exactly shouting.

"Shh, Clare." KC looked around at the students that were glancing over in their direction.

"Jake came home with _Jenna_ last night. Did you know that?"

"No," KC said. "Why should I?"

"I don't know," said Clare. "Maybe you had a _kid_ with her?"

"Clare," said KC, "I don't really want to talk about this."

"Well, we're going to talk about it!" Clare was even angrier now.

KC grabbed Clare's wrist and dragged her into the empty music room.

"Look, Clare," said KC, and Clare was surprised to see his eyes watering. "I just gave my son up for adoption because Jenna and I couldn't stand each other enough to take care of him properly." He was speaking quietly and quickly. "I love him so much, but this is what's best for him. I don't want to talk right now."

His final sentence left no more room for arguing, but KC continued staring into Clare's eyes, tears wobbling in his eyes but not falling.

"But…you can visit him." Clare's excuse sounded lame. She really wanted to just reach out and stroke his chest.

"It's a closed adoption," said KC, finally breaking eye contact and exiting the room. Clare swallowed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Note: A lot of this stuff is complete fiction, fabricated to make things more interesting or to make the story work better. Also, I may mess up the times. One aspect of the story might be from earlier than another aspect. Just a warning, because I probably won't notice I'm doing that. Thank you to the people who reviewed.**

"My parents _love _Dave. It's amazing!" Alli was glowing. "I thought they wouldn't like him so I had him say all this stuff that wasn't really him, you know? But then he was all mad at me, so I thought that maybe it wouldn't be _too_ bad having my parents hate him, at least not worth losing Dave. But they love him! It's true: no adult can resist Dave Turner!"

"That's great, Alli," said Clare offhandedly.

Alli turned toward Clare and tossed the dress she was holding up to herself on the bed. She sat down. "Alright, Clare. What's the matter?"

"I feel kind of…guilty." Clare looked up and frowned.

"Guilty?" Alli said. "About what?"

"I don't know. I just–I don't know."

Alli lay down on her belly, rested her elbows on a pillow and looked eagerly at Clare. "No, tell me." Clare looked at Alli and said nothing.

"Come on, Clarebear," said Alli, nudging Clare with an elbow, knowing full well that Clare didn't want to be called Clarebear.

"That's just it!" Clare exclaimed, suddenly unable to keep from talking. "Clarebear! Oh, my God. KC."

"KC? What about KC." Alli looked suspicious. "I thought you were over KC."

Clare stood up. Her hair was messy, adding to the expression on her face and in her voice: two parts angry, two parts frustrated, and two parts sad. "I _am _over KC. He was a jerk to me. I don't remember why I liked him."

"Then what's the problem?" Alli sat up. _Seriously, how many boys is Clare going to have issues with?_ she thought, then immediately felt guilty. Clare was her friend, and Alli had to be with her all the way.

"I was mad because Jake brought Jenna home for dinner." Clare was breathing a little too heavily.

"If it was Jenna, then why were you mad at KC?"

"I don't know." Clare's voice held a whine that Alli was more accustomed to hearing coming out of her mouth than Clare's. Clare slumped on the bed with a sigh. "But I went to yell at him, and I was, I don't know, insensitive, I guess. I think he's mad at me."

"Why do you care if he's mad at you? When your relationship ended, you were the one who was mad and he was the one who was guilty."

Clare didn't appear to be listening. "I just–didn't think about his feelings. I feel bad."

Alli moved so she was sitting next to Clare on the bed. "Look, Clare, if it makes you feel better, I don't think KC's mad at you. He's just been going through a rough time. At least Jenna has. And Dave said KC's been really distracted. He probably snaps at anyone who gets on his nerves. He just doesn't have the heart to put up with it right now. Why don't you go find him tomorrow and apologize. I'm sure he won't be mad at you."

Clare looked up. "Thanks Alli. You're a good friend." Alli smiled. "So," said Clare. "How do your parents feel about Dave?"

Alli smiled again, but this time it was a little forced.


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry it took so long to update. Also sorry about the school project thing; I know that's been used before. Anyway, I don't own these characters. Okay. Let's get on with it, then.**

"So," said KC.

"So," said Clare.

"I guess we're doing this science thing." KC shifted awkwardly.

"I guess so."

"Let's go to my house. It's closer."

Clare was a little confused. "Um, okay."

"Okay."

"Okay."

KC was still for a moment, then turned and speed walked down the hallway.

Clare would have been in for a long, awkward walk home, but because she and KC were going to his place, it was only a short, awkward walk.

KC lived in an apartment. Clare still wasn't quite clear on when he'd left the group home, but she didn't mention it.

The afternoon was actually kind of fun. Talking about science sort of cooled the tension. By late afternoon, both KC and Clare were laughing. If someone saw them that person wouldn't have believed that just a few short hours ago, Clare was standing stock still and the only part of her moving were her eyes, which were glancing toward and away from KC. KC was doing the same.

So Clare was definitely not prepared to hear footsteps in the apartment. She stopped laughing.

A woman with dark hair came into the room and dropped her purse on a chair.

"Oh, KC. Do you have a friend over."

KC stood up straight. "Mom, this is Clare Edwards. Clare, this is my mom."

Clare studied her for a moment. She didn't look like a druggie. All of a sudden Clare's manners kicked in and she shook KC's mother's hand.

"Hi Clare. I'm Lisa."

"I'm Clare." Clare smiled. "Um, I should go. Bring the project to school, KC?"

He smiled. "Yeah."

Clare turned back to Lisa. "Bye," she said, and gave a little wave.

"Nice meeting you Clare."

"Yeah, you too."

"Should I walk you home or something."

"No. I'm okay. But thanks." Clare left the apartment and started walking home. The wind had picked up, and she bent her head. She wasn't sure what she was feeling. Was she angry that KC hadn't told her about his mom getting out of jail. But KC had always been a jerk. He didn't matter in the least. She'd done most of the project, anyway.


End file.
